An accumulating transfer machine provides means for automatically advancing all workpieces located rearwardly of an empty work station on a single-stroke cycle of the transfer bars. This is accomplished by a detector bar which senses the absence of a workpiece and sets up the next rearward dog, which in turn is interconnected to all of the remaining rearward dogs to similarly set them up into workpiece-engaging position.
An accumulating type conveyor having a plurality of article supporting stations spaced therealong and pusher member for transferring the articles in step-by-step progression along the conveyor and into a processing machine or the like. The conveyor includes a control system including article position sensors and article movement sensors, together with a cam member for each pusher member selectively operable to shift the pusher member to its non-article engaging position, whereby the flow of articles to the processing machine is automatically controlled.
A reciprocating accumulation conveyor comprised of at least one car and generally a plurality of cars secured together to form a conveyor train, which is reciprocated back and forth along the longitudinal axis thereof by a reciprocating drive assembly which is fastened to one of the cars. Each car carries at least one pusher mechanism thereon. The boxes to be transported by the conveyor ride on a track disposed above the car or train and are moved in a forward direction along the track by the pusher assemblies carried by the cars. Each pusher assembly has a pushing bar pivotally mounted thereon and a sensing arm. The pusher bars push the boxes or containers along the track in one direction and pivot under any box or container which they encounter on the rearward movement of the train until the bar clears the box, whereupon it returns to the upright position to push forward another container. The sensing arm extends forwardly of the pushing bar and container and acts to release the pushing bar upon contacting a forwardly disposed container thereby preventing a collision and possible arcing of the boxes or containers.
An automatic accumulating transfer mechanism is provided comprising a frame having a pair of spaced and substantially parallel support rails secured near the top of the frame and upon which a series of workpieces are slidably mounted. Each workpiece is positioned at a work station defined along the support rails at evenly spaced intervals from each other. A plurality of pusher dogs are longitudinally slidably mounted to the frame at spaced intervals from each other and so that one pusher dog is associated with each work station. Moreover, each pusher dog is pivotal between an upper workpiece engaging position and a lower workpiece clearing position. A reciprocal drive device longitudinally moves the pusher dogs in unison with each other from its associated work station and to the next forward work station while a knockdown bar moves all of the pusher dogs to their lower position at or near the forwardmost travel of the pusher dogs. A detector lever is associated with each work station and, in the absence of a workpiece at the work station, pivots upwardly so that a cam surface on the lever engages a cam pin on the pusher dog and pivots the pusher dog to its upper workpiece engaging position at or near the rearwardmost travel of the pusher dogs. This upward pivotal action of the pusher dog at the vacant work station in turn pivots all of the rearward pusher dogs to their upper position via link bars secured between adjacent pusher dogs.
An automatic accumulating lift and carry transfer mechanism is provided comprising an elongated frame having a plurality of work support members secured to and spaced longitudinally along the frame. Each lateral pair of work support members forms a work station adapted to receive and support a workpiece thereon. A carriage assembly is longitudinally slidably mounted to the frame and, in addition, is vertically slidable between an upper and lower position. A drive mechanism is mechanically coupled to the carriage assembly for longitudinally reciprocally moving the carriage assembly in a forward direction with the carriage assembly in its upper position for a distance equal to the interval between adjacent work stations and for subsequently retracting the carriage assembly in its lowered position. Lifting members are pivotal between an upper workpiece engaging position and a lower workpiece clearing position so that in their upper position, the lifting members will lift and carry a workpiece from one work station and to the next forward work station during the forward travel of the carriage assembly. A knockdown cam moves all of the lifting members to their lower position at or near the forwardmost travel of the carriage assembly and during the retraction of the carriage assembly. A detector lever is further associated with each work station and, in the absence of the workpiece at the work station, pivots upwardly to pivot the lifting member to its upper workpiece engaging position at or near the rearwardmost travel of the carriage assembly and to pivot all of the rearward lifting members to their upper work engaging position via link bars secured between adjacent lifting members.
